A-levels | Schools Week

Unhappy exam students can use mock exam results – reports

Pupils in England will be allowed to use “mock exam results” if they are unhappy with the grades they are issued this year, according to reports. Several newspapers reported tonight that ministers have agreed to allow pupils to keep grades given for mock exams – if they are higher than the standardised grades they receive […]

Heads call for exam appeal fees to be waived as schools brace for deluge of challenges

Fees should not be charged for appeals against exam results this year to ensure there is a “level playing field” for all pupils who want to challenge their results, a headteachers’ union has said. The Association of School and College Leaders said it would “favour fees not being charged for appeals” this year, given the […]

Exams 2020: Ofqual confirms final appeals process for GCSEs and A-levels

Schools will be able to appeal against GCSE and A-level results if they feel data used to standardise grades was not a “reliable basis” for predicting 2020 results, Ofqual has confirmed. The exams regulator has set out the full arrangements for appeals this year, confirming that schools will be able to appeal if they were […]

Labour seeks assurances over GCSE and A-level results amid claims of unfairness in Scotland

Labour is seeking “urgent assurances” from the government that the GCSE and A-level results process in England will treat pupils fairly, amid claims poorer pupils in Scotland were penalised under a similar system. Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, has written to her opposite number Gavin Williamson for reassurances that he “will not allow similar […]

Grading system ‘flies in the face’ of promises pupils won’t lose out

The government has promised that no pupil will be disadvantaged by the cancellation of exams. But a new study shows that thousands of youngsters in turnaround schools will indeed be penalised. Schools Week investigates. “Kids have given up their weekends, we’ve had holiday interventions, 7.30am revision sessions, teachers teaching until 7pm,” says Elroy Cahill, headteacher […]

Heads’ faith in A-levels slumps

Headteachers’ faith in AS and A-levels slumped after last year’s exam series, a new survey shows. Ofqual has published its latest perceptions survey, which is based on YouGov polling of various stakeholders, including 292 school leaders, last autumn. Although the survey shows little change in attitudes among school leaders towards GCSEs, faith in AS and […]

Coronavirus: Autumn series grades to be based only on exams, Ofqual confirms

Pupils performance in this year’s autumn exam series will be based on pupil performance in the tests alone, not on any non-exam assessment, Ofqual has confirmed. The exams regulator has published its decisions following a consultation on the autumn series, which will allow students who are not happy with their summer calculated grades to sit […]

Coronavirus: Six things we learned from Ofqual about exams in 2020 and 2021

Exams were the focus of an education select committee hearing this week, with senior staff appearing from the exams’ regulator Ofqual. Here’s what we found out. 1. Consultation on 2021 exam plans due before summer break Sally Collier, the chief regulator of Ofqual, told MPs schools needed to know what was happening with next […]

Exam appeals rise again as new reforms rolled out to all GCSEs

The number of appeals against GCSE and A-level exam grades rose by 45 per cent last year as new grounds for an appeal were extended to all GCSE subjects. Statistics published today by exams regulator Ofqual show there were 1,240 appeals in 2019, up from 857 in 2018. A total of 675 of the appeals were […]